On the prairies it’s been said that the measure of a community can be determined by the number of people who brave below zero temperatures to attend the annual Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Once again Cochrane passed the test as hundreds gathered at the high school then marched down the hill to the Cenotaph for the conclusion of the ceremony.
Once again, I was honoured to serve as master of ceremonies and I thought this year was special in many ways.
The numbers were impressive but especially the number of young people in attendance.
I think it’s a healthy sign when parents take the time to share history with their kids and Remembrance Day is certainly history.
I thought it was special that members of Joe Poucette’s family participated and laid a wreath in his memory.
Joe Poucette was a member of the Wesley band on the Stoney First Nation at Morley and served Canada with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
He was killed in action Aug. 14, 1944, in the battle of Caen a few miles inland from the beaches of Normandy.
He is buried with 2,764 other young Canadians in the Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian war cemetery.
As you drive Highway 1A west you will notice a memorial to Joe Poucette high on the hill on the north side of the highway.
As you reach the intersection with the turnoff into the Morley townsite look to the north you will see a magnificent statue of a native warrior on a horse.
That’s in memory of Joe Poucette and it was nice to see the Legion, family and friends paying tribute to his memory as well.
Forgotten graves
Lest we forget...but we did.
We forgot the veteran’s graves in the old cemetery behind Cochrane High school.
There’s eight or 10 veteran’s graves there, but only one was graced with a wreath on Remembrance Day.
Next year we will make it a cause to see all those vets are remembered.
We will remember them.
